The Jollof rice war has reached the presidential level with Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo coming out to defend his country as having the best of the West African delicacy.

His assertion over the weekend was in reaction to Information Minister Lai Mohammed’s internationally televised assumption that Senegal makes the best Jollof rice.

Lai Mohammed’s words were described as treasonous by Nigerians on social media who attacked him for betraying them in a decade-old battle with Ghana over who has the best Jollof rice.

“We all know that Nigerian Jollof rice is the best! We beat the Ghanaians and the Senegalese hands down,” Vice President Yemi Osibanjo came to the rescue of Mohammed who was believed to have misunderstood the question.

Osibanjo went further to spearhead the Nigerian pride by citing the country’s achievements worldwide including the recent victory of British-Nigerian boxer and heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.

“We have everything, and our people are doing incredibly innovative things. For example, we are at the moment developing the most sophisticated animation technology in Africa.

“Our music and entertainment industry is the fastest growing in the world. Nigerians have won every prize in literature, from the Noble prize to the Pulitzer.

“Only last year, a Nigerian girl won a gold medal at the Olympics, Morolake Akinosun. Last Saturday, a Nigerian boxer won the world heavyweight title. Anthony Oluwafemi Joshua won the WBA becoming the boxing champion of the world.

“Last year Oluyinka Olutoye, a Nigerian surgeon successfully took out a baby from her mother’s womb, operated on the womb, and put the baby back in, and the baby was carried full term and was born naturally — a feat previously unheard of.

“And of course, nobody is as funny as Nigerians, whether profession or amateur. We even have a member of the national assembly who recently launched a CD; Aje kun iya ni o je. Who hasn’t heard of Aje kun iya ni o je.

“We are the most innovative entrepreneurs. The other day someone showed me a text; the young man had invited him to a book launch titled: Seven Steps to Becoming a Professional Whistleblower,” he said at a church event on the theme: Nigeria Recovering from Economic Recession.

What is Jollof rice?

Jollof rice is a common dish in West Africa that derived its name from the Wolof people of Senegal, hence its undebatable Senegalese origin.

Among the countries that consume this dish are Senegal, Gambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Togo, Cameroon, Mali and Ghana.

However, two countries – Ghana and Nigeria – have adopted the dish as not only a cultural delicacy, but a subject of contention as to who prepares it best.

The reddish one-pot dish is prepared with rice and tomoato sauce with alternative ingredients that slightly vary by country.